UV routs Holy Trinity, makes final

Games today (Cebu Coliseum)

2 p.m. – La Salle vs. Adamson

4 p.m. – SWU vs. UV

The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers leaned on a fantastic finishing kick to beat the Holy Trinity College (HTC) of General Santos Wildcats, 91-74, and advance to the title game of the Southern Islands Championship of the 2012 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) at the Cebu Coliseum.

The victory thus set up the match that most people have been waiting for as UV battles old nemesis the Southwestern University Cobras today for the right to advance to the Final Four which will be staged in Manila.

The Lancers are itching for payback against the Cobras who beat them for the title in the deciding Game Five of the CESAFI just last month. The loss has been seared into UV’s minds especially after SWU came all the way back from an 18-point deficit with seven minutes left to snatch away the title.

UV though, had to work hard for the win as the Wildcats played gritty basketball and was within striking distance all game long. HTC last threatened at 68-70, after six straight points with 8:35 left in the fourth canto.

However, UV threw down the hammer and unleashed a 15-2 blast from Cesafi’s Rookie of the Year and MVP, Wowie Escosio, John Abad and Cameroonian, Steve Akomo for an insurmountable, 85-70 lead with less than five minutes left in the match.

Escosio had 23 points for UV, 19 coming in the first 20 minutes of the game. Abad, Vincent Mendoza and Cesafi Mythical Five member, Jerome Silva, each had 12 points.

HTC got 20 from Christopher Masaglang while Arthur Pepito and McDenver Polistico contributed 16 and 10 points, respectively.

Meanwhile, NCAA Most Valuable Player, Ian Sangalang, exploded for 26 points in the second half to tow the reigning PCCL champions, San Sebastian Stags to a, 75-68 win over the National University Bulldogs in the second game of the double-header.

The 6-foot-7 Sangalang, also the PCCL MVP last year, showed the rabid Cebuano fans exactly why he is largely considered to be the best big man in the amateur ranks today as he totaled 30 points – including the Stags’ first 15 points in the third canto and 11 more when it mattered the most in the payoff period.

The win put the Stags a step closer towards a berth in the Final Four as they will next face the winner of the game between the La Salle Green Archers and the Adamson Soaring Falcons which will be played this afternoon at the same venue.

NU had control of the game midway through the third canto as they led 40-35, after an 11-2 run. But the Stags retaliated with makes from Sangalang, Jovit dela Cruz and the other member of the once-vaunted “Pinatubo Trio,” Ronald Pascual, for a 51-48 lead heading to the fourth stanza.

The Bulldogs’ last gasp of air came after another bucket by Perez that trimmed the deficit to three, 66-69. But that ray of hope was dashed just as quickly as moments after that basket, NU center Emmanuel Mbe was slapped with a technical foul for a delay of game infraction which San Sebastian turned to easy points off two free-throws by Pascual and an undergoal stab by dela Cruz for a 73-66 cushion with two minutes left in the match.

Pascual added 19 for the Stags who are playing without their star forward and former MVP Calvin “The Beast” Abueva, who was picked second by the Alaska Aces in the PBA.

UAAP MVP Bobby Ray Parks had a quiet outing with just 13 points, the same output as point guard, Joshua Alolino. Perez finished with 10 markers.